Automatic door control



Nov. 24, 1931.

C. R. TRIMBLE AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROL Filed March l. 1950 FIGJ.

INSULATION INSULATIDN /Nl/ENTO/e CuRr/s R. TR/MBLE' Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRTIS R. TRIMBLE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO ALERT ELECTRIC DOOR CONTROL CO., F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA AUTOMATIC DOOR CONTROL Application led March 1, 1930. Serial No. 432,408.

My improved invention relates to automatic door operating and locking devices and particularly in the present instance to cooperating safety means whereby in case any obstacle comes in contact with moving doors or other contrivances operated thereby the motor is immediately automatically stopped without injury to it or to the obstructing object.

My improved invention is not only intended for swingingdoors but for gates, curtains, etc., as well. An important object is to provide, in conjunction with the foregoing, a simple and efficient automat-ic door operating device having a safety cut-out switch, not likely to get out of order, fool proof and one which can be manufactured at a price within the reach of customers of modest means.

lThese and other obvious objects broadly set forth the invention in its entirety, a desirable embodiment being illustrated by the following figures:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of apreferred arrangement, illustrating the use of my improved invention when appliedv to operate a pair of doors, and Fig. 1a is a sectional detail on line 1a-1a of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a back view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a face view of one of the centrifugal control elements;

Fig. 6 is an edge elevation of the control elements and, j

' Fig. 7 is a general wiring diagram. Referring now in detail to the 4drawings 40 Y and more particularly to Fig. 1, to the frame-y work 3 is hingedly attached a pair of doors 9. To said framework 8 is also attached the automatic operating and locking mechanism, comprising a motor 10, a motor shaft 11, a motor operated shaft 13, a coupling 12 uniting said shafts, a worm shaft 15, a friction clutch 14 operatively relating worm shaft 15 to shaft 13, a worm 16 mounted upon the extremity of shaft 15 and meshing with a pinion 17, and a bearing 18 in which shaft 15 is jou'rnaled.

Said pinion 17 meshes with said worm 16 and is mounted upon the end of a transverse driven shaft 19. Said driven shaft 19 is journaled in brackets 2O wherein are mounted worms 21 and 22 meshing with pinions 23 and 24. To the'shafts 23a and 24a of said pinions are secured for angular displacement, a pair of jointed levers 25 and 26 operatively related to the aforesaid pair of doors 9.

The actuation of the motor 10 through the transmission line just described, opens and closes the doors. To stop the doors when they are properly opened and closed and to provide for a safety feature when the path of movement of either door becomes accidentally obstructed by reason of an'automobile or other object being inadvertently placed or allowed to remain in such a position that ample clearance is not provided for the operation of the doors, requires additional cooperating features. There must be means to start the motor (a switch 27), means to stop the motor (a switch 28), manual means (not shown) to operate the first switch, and automatic means, a governor device 31, to operate said switch 28. Any number of manually operated switches at different locations may be stationed in the line as at 27 in the wiring diagram, only one, however, being shown. The stationary part 286 of the second switch 28 is placed in j uXtaposition with its centrifugally and centripetally operated member 28a.

Said switch member 28a and the governor device 31 which operates it are clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive. Said governing device which operates the switch member 28a need not be described' in full detail with respect to its revolving parts which may be patterned after a number of well known governing devices on the market. It may be briefly stated, however, that said device 31 may comprise three pivotally mounted arms 35, illustrated in detail in Figs. '5 and 6, which are identical in construction and which are provided with pivots 36 near one end so that, when the device is rapidly rotated, centrifugal force tends to cause said arms to swing outwardly in opposition to their retracting springs 37. `SaidV centrifugally operated arms or members 35 travel between the flanges 39 and 40 of a verticallyslidable member 45 the lower enel of which carries the aforesaid switch member As soon as switch 27 has been momentarily closed the motor driven'shaft 13 speeds up suficiently to cause the rotary portion of the governor device 31 to expand, thereby causing its crescent shaped arms 35 to press outwardly upon lip 40 thus moving switchmember 28a into the closed position indicated c in dotted lines in Fig. 4. Upon the completion of the opening or closing movement'of the doors, or in case they encounter an' obstruction, the increased load on the motor retar'ds the speed of shaft 13 thus causing a reverse action of the governor device under the urge of itsjsprings 37. The result is that the crescent arms 35 bear against the lip 39,

asshown in section in Fig. 3, thus retracting the movable switch member 28a, openingY switch 28: I Y

In order to prevent a too sudden strain Aupon the motor, friction clutch 14 is interposed between axially alined shafts 13 Vand 15.

. cuit through the starting winding of the motor. As soon as the motor starts, the centrifugal action of the governor device 31 causes said device to close switch 28, thus completing the circuit through the main winding of the motor. v Then the motor continues to run until the doors are completely opened or else encounter an obstruction. As soon as that happens the slowing down of the motor permits the springs 37 of the govyernor device, acting against the lessened centrifugal force, to, open lthe switch 28 controlled thereby, thus opening the main winding circuit and-causing the motor to stop.

VThe reverse movement is accomplished by the reversing switch'50 placed adjacent shaft 19Aand connectedin the starting circuit, andwhich is operated by aradial ar-m 51 fixed on shaft 19. This reversing takes place subsequently t-o each operation of the motor or as soon as the shaft 19 starts rotating. Hence,

the next time the switch 27 ismomentarily closed themotor turns in the opposite direc'- tion and moves the doors accordingly.

When switch 27 is closed, the circuitforstarting thelmotorl is completed through line wire 70, conductor 71, switch 27, conductors 72, 73, 74, and 76, through the starting winding 77 kof the split phase motor 10, thence through conductors 7 8, 79 and the other line .wire 80 to the source of current supply (not line wire 80. .The current is reversed by means of the reversing switch v50, indicated' in the diagram, by meansof the arm 51 carried by shaft 19 asl already described.

Said reversing switch 50 is an ordinary two pole, double throw reversing switch and is diagrammatically shown in the wiring diagram. V Y

In this specification, and the accompanying. drawings, I have described and shown a preferred form of my invention and specifically mentioned certain of its more important objects. I do not limit myself to the forms disclosed,since various changes andadaptations may be made therein, without departing from the essence ofmy invention as hereinafter claimed; and objects and advantages, other than those specifically mentioned, are includedwithin its scope.

Claims: 1. In an automatic door control, a-door, means Vto impart opening andrclosing movements to said door said means comprising an electric motor, a rotary governor centrifugally and centripetally operated, means to impart motion from said motor to said governor, and an electric circuit in which said motor Vis included, said governor maintaining said circuit closed during fr ee movements of said door, and automatically openingsaid circuit to stop said motor when the movement of said door is arrested. c

2. In an automatic door control, a door, means to impart opening andclosing movements to said door; said means comprising an electric motor, a rotary governor centrifugally and centripetally operated, means to impart motion from said motor to 'said governor, an electric circuit inwhich said motor is included, said governor maintaining said circuit closed .during free movements of said door, and automatically opening said circuit to stop said motory whenthe movement of. said door is arrested, and a friction clutch whereby to relieve saidmotor of temporary strain when the movement of said door is arrested. c c

V3. In an automat-ic door control, a door; and means-to open and close said door; said means-comprising an electric motor operatively connected with said door, arotary governor operated by said motor, an electric circuit including said motor and controlled by said governor, said governor maintaining said circuit closed during free movements of said door, and automatically opening said circuit to Stop said motor when the movement of said door is arrested, a reversing Switch in said circuit to reverse the rotation of said motor, and means operated by each starting movement of said motor to operate said switch to cause said motor when again started to run in the reverse direction.

4c. In combination, a pair of doors, a shaft, a pair of oppositely related worms secured to said shaft, means operatively relating each of said worms to its respective door whereby to cause a simultaneous clockwise movement of one of said doors and an anti-clockwise movement of the other of said doors, a motor, means operatively connecting said motor with said worm shaft, a centrifugal governor actuated by said motor, and a switch operated by said governor, whereby upon an obstruction in the path of movement o'f said doors diminishing the orbit described by said governor, the latter is caused to open said switch.

5. In combination, a motor, a door, means operated by said motor to open and close said door, an electric circuit in which said motor is included, a rotary expanding governor operatively related to said motor, a switch -in said circuit and operatively related to said governor, said governor upon expanding increasing its orbit whereby to close said switch and circuit and upon contracting diminishing its orbit whereby to open said switch and circuit, a second switch to cause a reverse operation of said motor subsequently to each starting thereof, and means driven by said motor to operate said second switch.

f 6. In combination, a motor, a door, means operated by said motor to open and close said door, an electric circuit in which said motor is included, a rotary expanding governor 0peratively related to said motor, a switch in said circuit and operatively related to said governor, said governor upon expanding increasing its orbit whereby to close said switch and upon contracting diminishing its orbit whereby to open said switch and circuit, a second switch to cause a reverse operation of said motor subsequently to each starting thereof, and means driven by said motor to operate said second switch, said last mentioned means comprising a rotary shaft and a radial arm carried thereby and positioned to operate said second switch in reverse directions.

7 In combination, a motor, a door, means operated by said motor to open and close said door, an electric circuit in which said motor is included, a rotary expanding governor operatiively related to said motor, a switch in said circuit and operatively related to said governor, said governor upon expanding increasing its orbit whereby to close said switch and circuit and upon contracting diminishing its orbit whereby to open said switch and circuit, a two pole double throw reversing switch to cause a reverse operation of said motor subsequently to each starting thereof and rotary means operated by said motor to operate said double throw switch in reverse directions.

8. In combination, a split phase motor having a starting winding and a main winding, an electric circuit for said motor and its said windings,asource of electric current supply for said circuit, a door, operating means for said door driven by said motor, a rotary expanding governor driven by said door operating means, a switch to open and close said circuit, said rotary expanding governor being operatively related to said switch to close said switch when its orbit is expanded and to open said switch when its orbit is contracted, a two pole double throw reversing switch to reverse the current through said motor, to cause it to rotate in a reverse direction at each starting thereof, said door operating means comprising a rotatable part to operate said double throw switch in reverse directions after each starting of said motor, and a manually operable switch to close the circuit through said motor.

CURTIS R. TRIMBLE. 

